Ranger Repeats In Montreal

Hometown favorite Andrew Ranger dominated the field Saturday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for his second checkered flag in four NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts this year with a second consecutive win in the NAPA AUTOPRO 100.

Ranger, a two-time series champion from Roxton Pond, Que., used the pole position he earned in qualifying Friday to start out front, and that’s where he stayed for the entirety of the 23-lap event. The triumph extended his Canadian Tire Series record for career wins to 14, and marked his third in five all-time events at the 2.709-mile road course.

Of his 14 career victories, 11 have come in road-course events and seven have been earned from the pole. This is the third time Ranger won in Montreal overall – including 2008 – and he became the first driver to lead flag-to-flag since J.R. Fitzpatrick did it in Edmonton on July 25, 2009, a span of 17 races. His other win this year came in Toronto on July 9 in his No. 27 Dodge Dealers of Quebec/PNH Dodge.

Kerry Micks in the No. 02 Dickies/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford crossed the line second for his best career finish in Montreal since winning the series’ inaugural event in 2007. Jason Bowles joined him on the podium after driving the No. 11 Fuel Doctor Dodge to a third-place finish. Jeff Lapcevich and Alex Tagliani rounded out the top five.